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The HTC One is due to launch on these shores next week, but it could be in short supply, due to a lack of parts. Which would be a bit of a bummer for HTC, considering the handset is the company’s next flagship, and its main hope of reviving its fortunes.
There’s also a certain other handset launching the day before the One, which is sure to steal some of HTC’s thunder.
These are just rumours at the moment, but they’re coming from more than one source. BriefMobile claims industry insiders are telling it the voice coil motor and compact camera module used in the One’s Ultrapixel snapper are in short supply. This means the device will be delayed in some countries, with fewer units available for us Brits.
Our cousins at CNET Asia back this up with a statement from HTC that says the One’s launch will be delayed until April in Singapore. HTC says this is “in order to serve our customers better,” but a local brokerage company reckons otherwise. KGI Securities has dropped its shipping estimate from 4 million units to between 800,000 and 1.2 million, with worldwide estimates down from 15 million to 10.5 million for the first half of the year. The reason? A lack of the necessary camera parts.
The new Ultrapixel camera tech is the main selling point of the device, so the fact it could be causing the shortages and delays is a bit of a kicker. I think that’s known as being hoist by your own petard.
All being well, the HTC One is set to hit UK shop shelves on 15 March. It’ll cost around £500, and have the Ultrapixel camera, which promises better low-light performance. Our early impressions are that it looks pretty good.
Are you looking forward to the HTC One? Or will the Galaxy S4 blow it out of the smart phone water? Let me know in the comments, or on Facebook.
